Pete Flynn tells the story of Loddon Brewery as it approaches a quarter century
Dunsden Green, a wonderful rural setting a few miles from trendy Henley-on-Thames or Reading, is the home of Loddon Brewery situated in a 300-year-old barn. It’s an integral part of a privately owned farming estate, and where I met general manager, Shane Willoughby and head brewer, Tara Magee with a view to finding out about this delightful brewery and its charming connection with local heritage.
Loddon was founded in 2002 by Chris and Vanessa Hearn followed the closure of Brakspear’s Henley Brewery, bringing their ability and tradition to a new operation. The brewery began with Steve Brown as head brewer, and the hole in the barn roof at the outset was just one of many challenges they faced, which shaped its identity and mission for quality and inclusivity. Interestingly, in its 23-year history, the operation has only had three head brewers; more of that later.
After a huge capital investment which involved buying casks, for example, the brewery flourished from a fledgling family operation into a successful regional brewery. The business underwent a rebrand about five years ago and Shane explains, “Our dragonfly motif, which some say is a little quirky, became more prominent. The beer label colouration became synonymous with the beer style, so the bottles were more easily recognisable.”
Shane introduced me to Tara, and I was at once drawn to her pigtails evoking memories of ruby slippers and Kansas skies, but behind the familiar silhouette is a woman who is clearly self-confident and a creative brewer with a unique narrative. Tara had always lived locally and was a friend of the earlier brewer Jake Bartley-Perry who encouraged her creative spirit and interest in science. “I decided to pursue a Masters in Brewing and Distilling at Herriot Watt University, Edinburgh as this would give me a clear path into the job of my desire, he says. “I saw it as an opportunity to pursue a viable career locally once Jake had decided to return to his native Yorkshire.”
Since age two, Tara has been a coeliac sufferer which is an inflammatory condition whereby an individual suffers gluten intolerance and, with a nod to inclusivity, all Loddon beers are gluten-free which is an encouraging trend. With almost three years of brewing under her belt Tara is keen to explore innovative ideas and concepts in brewing.
I asked her about the philosophy behind the recently introduced New Wave IPA. “Loddon will always stand for tradition yet we always need to be mindful of meeting the needs of all our customers, and a GF hazy pale ale is my idea to embody that concept and broaden our customer base,” she explains. Clearly Tara has influenced Loddon’s product development while keeping classic styles, and it is the dynamic teamwork that keeps Loddon thriving.
Loddon has a breadth of styles – classic bitters, golden ales, seasonal specialities, and modern keg brews. Award-winning Hocus Pocus is a classic old ale with a rich, smooth, and ruby red appearance featuring traditional English ingredients, using Golding and Fuggle hops alongside pale and dark malts and a touch of invert sugar to create complexity.
I asked Shane about how the brewery adapted during Covid as it was during the second wave that he took up the role of GM from his earlier role as a driver. “We had to transform very quickly, and I was delivering about 90 times a day. This set the scene for an entirely new range of customers who remain loyal to what we have to offer,” he says. “Our brewery taproom and yard, which started with a few tables and chairs, must be the best place to drink our beer with four cask and four keg lines on permanently. Whilst we can provide staff training to those pubs that stock our beer, you cannot control the quality of the output. Pubs are susceptible to high staff turnover which may have an impact on cleaning the lines, for example.”
The impact of Covid changed the business markedly with 60-70% of revenue now generated organically, that is to say from internal operations. There is value in this as distribution costs are minimised and quality measurement is maintained. All brewers are faced with increasing costs: utilities, raw ingredients etc, so being able to control costs in other areas is paramount.
The taproom and yard are very flexible; during winter the canopy provides cover and the area is heated, whilst in summer the roof converts to an open area. Loddon also has a shop selling local produce as well as its full beer range.
Sitting in the taproom is a welcome experience as Shane explains, “People on their own love to be here as we are a good team and very friendly. I often get invited to sit down and have a chat and customers appreciate that. Offering a community hub, supporting trade and direct customer relationships with quizzes and food pairings means repeat business from loyal customers will usually follow. Our demographic has changed since Covid with young families made to feel very welcome.”
Loddon has a comprehensive website which details opening times for the taproom and information about the beer range: https://loddonbrewery.com/our-beers/
My particular favourite is Black Darter, a 4.3% smooth drinking English stout with roasted malt, caramel-coffee notes and a dry bitter finish – ideal for the chilly months.
The website also provides information about membership clubs, and Shane told me about the gold scheme: “We have about 150 members of the club, and for a one-off cost of £650 members receive generous annual benefits including a case of beer, five free social nights per year, discounted beer offerings at the brewery shop, and six free pints. Full details can be found on our website.”
Tara returned to our meeting having had to check on the progress of a brew, and was keen to emphasise the “no half measures” initiative she has introduced: “The campaign is focused on promoting full-pint pours and celebrating the integrity of traditional British beer, while also supporting community engagement and transparency in hospitality.”
She clearly has a vision for the future of Loddon, explaining: “We are a traditional brewery and none of that will change. A big push of mine will be to go for craft beers, changing people’s perception of what beer is and using my knowledge to understand balance. We will be looking at introducing a canning operation during next year.”
Although Tara may wear her hair in pigtails and there is a touch of Dorothy in her stride, do not mistake nostalgia for simplicity. Here is a woman whose story is stitched with grit, grace, and a voice that is entirely her own as she brings a kind of magic that does not need ruby slippers to shine.